Law enforcement officials announced at a press conference Thursday afternoon that more than three dozen people are now facing charges as a result of a large-scale investigation focusing on the trafficking and possession of drugs in Marion. These indictments are in addition to those announced back in February. Unlike in previous cases, all of those charged are from Marion or surrounding areas.
Thirty-nine individuals were indicted on a total of 125 felony and misdemeanor charges last week. The indictments, which were unsealed Friday, April 10, 2014, primarily surround the sale and/or possession of heroin, cocaine, and prescription drugs such as Percocet, Vicodin and Xanax. The charges follow the February indictments of 19 others who are facing federal charges in connection with the investigation.
Investigators served arrest warrants on the suspects this morning as part of “Operation Buyers’ Remorse.” Prosecutors with Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine’s Office will prosecute the cases.
Appearing at the press conference were DeWine, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Steven M. Dettelbach, Federal Bureau of Investigation Cleveland Division Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony, Marion Police Chief Bill Collins, Marion County Sheriff Tim Bailey, and Marion County Prosecutor Brent Yager.
“Today’s indictments and arrests focus on the mid-level traffickers and the addicts who are fueling the demand for drugs being brought into Marion County,” said Attorney General DeWine. “While we know we cannot arrest our way out of the drug abuse problem, those who break the law must face the consequences. It is our hope that those arrested today will use this as a wake-up call to turn their lives around.”
“Today is just another example of agencies working together for the common good of our community, and as I have stated month after month, we are not done yet,” said Chief Collins. “This will continue to be the way we fight our drug problem in Marion, Ohio. We know we are just a piece of the puzzle in solving the heroin epidemic that has plagued our community, but we have shown time and again that we are committed 100% to making our piece of the puzzle happen day in and day out.”
“I want to thank everyone involved in this investigation for their hard work in yet another wave of arrests in our continuing push to drive drugs out of our community,” said Prosecutor Yager. “Let this be a message to the individuals still slinging their poison in our community that we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will prosecute you.”
“The teamwork by local, state, and federal authorities that went into this investigation was outstanding,” said Sheriff Bailey. “Those who want to come to our community and deal drugs need to ask themselves if they really want to risk being arrested, because this case is proof that we are watching, and we will come after you.”
“These indictments are an important step in our efforts to shut down the pipeline of heroin, pills and cocaine into Marion,” said U.S. Attorney Dettelbach. “This case is another example of the continued partnership between local, state and federal law enforcement when it comes to keeping our communities safe.”
“This interstate drug trafficking organization brought danger and violence to the community through multiple shootings, overdoses and continued addiction for citizens in Marion,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony. “The FBI, along with the numerous agencies that brought this group to justice, will continue collaborative efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and prosecute drug traffickers.”
Investigators began investigating the suspects after an influx of drugs started coming into the community from Detroit and Fort Wayne, Indiana. The investigation involved electronic surveillance which assisted in both the federal and state indictments.
In addition to the FBI, Marion Police Department and Marion County Sheriff’s Office, authorities with the MARMET Drug Task Force, METRICH Drug Task Force, Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Ohio Highway Patrol, and United States Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the investigation.
A complete list of those indicted by the Marion County Grand Jury, as well as five additional individuals charged in Marion Municipal Court, can be found on the Ohio Attorney General’s website.
Suspects Charged in Marion County Common Pleas Court:
- Douglas Armstrong, 41, Marion
- Possession of Cocaine (2)
- Attempted Possession of Cocaine
- Attempted Possession of Drugs (Vicodin)
- Attempted Possession of Drugs (Percocet)
- Robert Beaver, 35, Marion
- Possession of Cocaine
- Jessica Binau, 37, Marion
- Possession of Cocaine
- Attempted Possession of Drugs (Vicodin)
- DeShawn Bogan, 22, Marion
- Trafficking in Cocaine
- Nicholas Bollinger, 24, Marion
- Aggravated Possession of Drugs (Percocet) (2)
- Possession of Cocaine
- William Cumston, 26, Marion
- Insurance Fraud (2)
- Tampering with Evidence
- Obstructing Justice
- Obstructing Official Business
- Edward Dickerson, 35, Marion
- Possession of Heroin
- Attempted Possession of Cocaine
- Nicole Dunn, 29, Marion
- Possession of Drugs (Vicodin)
- Possession of Drugs (Oxycodone)
- Possession of Cocaine
- Trafficking in Cocaine
- Melody Erwin, 25, Marion
- Possession of Cocaine
- Brittany Faunce, 24, Marion
- Possession of Drugs (Percocet)
- Trafficking in Drugs (Percocet)
- Possession of Cocaine (2)
- Ray Ferguson, 38, Carey
- Trafficking in Cocaine
- Possession of Cocaine (4)
- Russell Fetter, 23, Morral
- Possession of Heroin (2)
- April Forrider, 23, Marion
- Possession of Cocaine (3)
- Cecil Frazier III, 27, Galion
- Aggravated Possession of Drugs (Percocet)
- Kimberly Gandee, 46, Marion
- Possession of Drugs (Xanax)
- Trafficking in Drugs (Xanax)
- Brian Gibson, 25, Marion
- Possession of Cocaine
- Attempted Aggravated Possession of Drugs (Percocet)
- Conspiracy Aggravated Possession of Drugs (Percocet)
- Andrew Greenwood, 27, Larue
- Possession of Drugs (Percocet) (5)
- Possession of Heroin
- Jeremiah Haile, 37, Marion
- Possession of Drugs (Percocet) (3)
- Possession of Heroin
- Jennifer Hempy, 29, Marion
- Possession of Heroin
- Conspiracy to Possess Heroin
- Possession of Cocaine (4)
- Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (4)
- Possession of Drugs (Vicodin)
- Attempted Possession of Drugs (Vicodin)
- Possession of Drugs (Xanax) (2)
- Attempted Possession of Drugs (Xanax) (3)
- Kelly Holtz, 50, Marion
- Conspiracy to Possess Heroin
- Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (3)
- Possession of Cocaine
- Caleb Kelley, 23, New Bloomington
- Conspiracy to Possess Heroin
- Conspiracy to Aggravated Possession of Drugs (Percocet) (2)
- Possession of Heroin
- Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine
- Stephanie Lane, 26, Marion
- Trafficking in Cocaine
- Conspiracy to Aggravated Possession of Drugs (Percocet)
- Name Withheld Pending Arrest
- Trafficking in Heroin
- James Lee, 35, Marion
- Possession of Heroin (2)
- Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine
- Dean McCurdy Jr., 24, Marion
- Possession of Heroin
- Aggravated Possession of Drugs (Percocet) (2)
- Christin McKenzie, 21, Morral
- Possession of Heroin (2)
- Shonda Medley, 26, Marion
- Aggravated Possession of Drugs (Percocet) (2)
- Meranda Miller, 21, Marion
- Possession of Heroin
- Kelly Morgan, 44, Carey
- Possession of Heroin (2)
- Conspiracy to Possess Heroin
- David Owen, 23, Marion
- Possession of Heroin (2)
- Aggravated Possession of Drugs (Percocet)
- Nathan Patton, 26, Marion
- Obstructing Justice (2)
- Tampering with Evidence
- Greg Saunders, 45, Marion
- Possession of Heroin
- Shawn Simpkins, 37, Marion
- Possession of Cocaine (2)
- Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine
- Christopher Tackett, 29, Marion
- Possession of Heroin
- Laura Temple, 40, Marion
- Possession of Cocaine
- Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine
- Jordan Ute, 20, Prospect
- Trafficking in Drugs (Percocet) (3)
- Possession of Drugs (Percocet) (3)
- Ralph Vaughn II, 25, Marion
- Attempted Possession of Drugs (Xanax)
- Possession of Cocaine
- Ashlee Winger, 28, Marion
- Trafficking in Drugs (Percocet)
- Aggravated Possession of Drugs (Percocet)
- Name Withheld Pending Arrest
- Trafficking in Heroin
- Trafficking in Cocaine
- Aggravated Trafficking in Drugs (Oxycodone)
- Aggravated Possession of Drugs (Oxycodone)
Suspects Charged in Marion Municipal Court:
- Brittany Saunders, 19, Marion
- Possession of Drugs (Xanax)
- Attempted Possession of Drugs (Xanax)
- Timothy White, 45, Carey
- Conspiracy to Possession of Cocaine (5)
- Conspiracy to Possess Drugs (Percocet)
- Attempted Possession of Drugs (Percocet)
- Daphane Wilson, 34, Marion
- Conspiracy to Possession of Heroin
- Attempted Possession of Drugs (Xanax)
- Attempted Possession of Drugs (2)
- Rick Conley, 35, Marion
- Conspiracy to Possess Heroin (2)
- Attempted Possession of Heroin (2)
- Dawn Sullivan, 46, Green Camp
- Attempted Possession of Drugs (Vicodin) (2)